nuclear transplantation

Nuclear transplantation, specifically somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), is a technique where the nucleus of a body cell is transferred into an egg cell that has had its own nucleus removed. The egg's cytoplasm then reprograms the donor nucleus, allowing it to develop into a zygote. This process can create embryonic stem cells, which have potential applications in medicine and research.1

SCNT is also used for reproductive cloning, such as creating genetically identical farm animals with desirable traits. The technique involves implanting a blastocyst derived from SCNT into a surrogate mother. This method was famously used to clone Dolly the sheep in 1996. The concept of nuclear transfer was first proposed by Hans Spemann in 1928, with later experiments demonstrating that egg cells could reprogram differentiated nuclei.12